Tuesday, October 20, 2009

EVENINGS AT THE ARGENTINE CLUB: PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
EVENINGS AT THE ARGENTINE CLUB

by JULIA AMANTE

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Victor and Jaqueline Torres imagined moving to the U.S. would bring happiness and prosperity-instead they found a world of frustration. While Victor put long hours into his restaurant business, Jaqui devoted her life to her daughters, until they grew up and moved on. Even their eldest, Victoria, is torn trying to reconcile being the perfect Argentine daughter and an independent American woman. Antonio and Lucia Orteli face the same realities, especially when their only son Eric leaves their close-knit Argentine community in pursuit of his own dreams.



About Author

Julia Amante had the misfortune of growing up away from the extended family that is so valued in the Latin culture, but missed out on very little of what it means to be Argentine. Asados were sacred meals shared together on weekends. Cheering for the Argentine soccer team was a must, as were the weekly pilgrimages to the Argentine Club in Los Angeles where the young Americanized kids hid under the tables and watched the adults dance tango until the wee hours of the morning. Julia giggled right along with the rest of the kids at how "geeky" the parents looked, but secretly, was intrigued by the romantic culture and passionate music.

Audio and Video

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julia Amante, women's fiction author, lives in California in a home filled with bits and pieces of her Argentine heritage. Paintings of Argentine towns. A beautiful leather map with the outline of Argentina. Pictures and trinkets.

However, the real details of her beautiful culture unfolded gradually as she grew up the daughter of Argentine immigrants.

Today, a product of the American Dream, Julia writes emotionally rich stories about family love, and the passion of chasing and achieving life's goals.

Julia is a proud mother and wife, a teacher, and a lover of life and it's many gifts. Following her passion to detail life in writing as well as share the joys of writing with other aspiring writers, Julia is currently pursuing an MFA. Julia has presented workshops at the Latino Book and Family Festival, the Mexican-American Organization Foundation, the Latina Business Women Organization, as well as in colleges such as the University of California, Riverside, Cal. State Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara City College.


READING GROUP GUIDE:

GREAT FOR BOOK CLUBS, HERE ARE QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.

1. The Argentine Club was the glue that kept all these people together. What do you feel groups such as these do for a community? Does it keep immigrants from becoming Americanized? Or help make the transition easier?

2. Every character in the story was seeking, in some way, to fulfill the American dream. Is the dream still a possibility in this country? If no, what has changed? If yes, is it still the same dream that early immigrants came to this country to achieve?

3. How do you think Victoria’s relationship with her father affected her blossoming relationship with Eric?

4. In Latin America it is not unusual for a child to live with his or her family until marriage, which could be in their thirties. Do you see a problem with children staying to live with their parents longer?

5. As mothers, our jobs are to help our children mature and prepare them to live life on their own. Did Jaqueline perform this job well? Did Lucia?

6. What do you think caused Victoria’s weight issues? Was it simply a lifetime of unhealthy habits, or was there another, more emotional cause? How do you feel that her decision to follow her dreams helped her shed the extra pounds she carried?

7. Did Victoria hold traditional Latino values? How did they affect the way she lived her life? What are traditional Latino values? Is there such a thing?

8. Independence is one of the themes of the book. Are we ever truly independent or is that a myth?


GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO MIRIAM AND VALERIE, AND
THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP,
I HAVE
5 COPIES OF THIS FABULOUS
BOOK
TO GIVE AWAY. HERE IS
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN A COPY!



RULES:

--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!



HOW TO ENTER:
(VERY EASY)
+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHY YOU REALLY, REALLY WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK THAT I CAN FOLLOW
ALL ENTRIES MUST BE IN
BY
NOON, NOVEMBER 5


19 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I'd like to read this book because I love to read stories set in other cultures. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

fredamans said...

I would love to read this book. I love the romantic aspect in the story, and it looks really interesting.

freda.mans[at]sympatico.ca

kalynnick said...

The books good so I would love to win so I can read it!

kalynnick AT yahoo DOT com

Stormi said...

I think the story line sounds pretty good enough for me to want to read it.

booklady2007[at]gmail[dot]com

pippirose said...

I would love to read this book, because of the multi-cultural aspect.
It's great when a book is a learning experience, as well as being entertaining.
:o)
pippirose59 at gmail dot com

pippirose said...

I tweeted!
:o)
http://twitter.com/pippirose77

Rebecca Orr said...

I enjoy reading about other cultures other than my own. I find it interesting to learn new things...even it it is just a work of fiction. Thanks for the chance
bekki1820cb@gmail.com

Rebecca Orr said...

tweet: http://twitter.com/bekki1820cb/status/5026834273
bekki1820cb@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Please count me in on this exciting giveaway.
Jasmine

jsrogers at shaw dot ca

nfmgirl said...

I like stories that give me a glimpse into the cultures of others. So I would love a shot at this book! Thanks so much!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

Tweet:
http://twitter.com/nfmgirl/status/5077759211

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

DarcyO said...

I'd like to read this book to learn how recent immigrants assimilate into our country.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

Tweeted (darcy1956)

http://twitter.com/darcy1956/status/5079723302

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Anonymous said...

It sounds interesting and I love to read books about other cultures.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Margie said...

I think the conflict between becoming a true American and keeping your heritage alive is an interesting premise. Hopefully both extremes can coexist.

mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Jaime said...

I need a new read, would love to win
copperllama at yahoo dot com

catss99 said...

I know a woman from Argentina who talks about her culture a lot, so it would be interesting to learn more.
amanda
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

tweet

http://twitter.com/catss99/status/5414372344

amanda
catss99@yahoo.com

Hailey Miller said...

My friend received this book as a present a few days after it came out and now she never shuts up about it! It makes me really envious and eager to read it (I moved a couple years ago, so were long distance friends, which is why I didn’t just borrow it.).

Shadowofwonder47[at]yahoo[dot]com

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